Yeah they're defo more of a WBA than a Blackpool. Norwich are a worry - they have decent creaetivity up front but are going to be exposed at the back. Sounds like Blackpool and Burnley and Hull in previous seasons.

QPR will also struggle, since despite the money they have tonnes of, they don't seem to have spent any, and Taraabt looks set to leave.

Before Given signed I was thinking Villa could slide down there, as I just think McLeish is a total fraud. With Given at one end of the pitch and Bent at the other though they'll survive okay, even if it's purely by virtue of those two.

Blackburn, Wigan and Wolves are all still deep deep in it. Wolves I expect to survive again, Roger Johnson is a great signing for them and they've made the O'Hara deal permanent. I've heard they're sniffing around Daniel Ayala as well, would definitely do a job for them from what I've seen. I also think Wigan's late form suggests that they're now playing to Martinez's style, and if he makes a signing or two I expect them to be okay again, just about.

Replacing Big Charles is gonna be tough though if he does go. If Villa got him on top of Bento and Given yeah, no worries for them I'd think.

QPR squad is nowhere near good enough for the PL. Needs some money spent, but I'm guessing they're hoping Warnock can do similar/slightly better than Holloway with what he has. I reckon Warnock's a better manager but he'll want players of PL calibre, and I don't actually think he'd mind losing Taraabt since he probably would be a liability.

Bev wrote:Being a good sniper is morally on a par with being a good paedophile.

Adam wrote:Oh really? Who? Anyone to replace Nolan? And is Barton going to playing for you and playing well? And *are* Jonas and Enrique leaving? Liverpool should try and poach them both tbh.

Well, all being good Ben Arfa really plays Nolan's role. Nolan did very little for us last season with the ball, but was very handy at grabbing goals. Having Gosling playing again is great too, always nice to have another midfielder available.

As for signings, Demba Ba doesn't really excite me, despite nabbing a few goals for West Ham last season. Sylvain Marveaux and to a greater extent Yohan Cabaye are the potentially decent signings we've made. I'm excited about the latter; though I'll admit I don't know much/anything about Marveaux.

We've missed out on a few strikers already, so that's still needed. And as for keeping Enrique / Jonas - still to be seen. Likely scenario is still them staying for this year and maybe forcing a moving on contract expiry. Which would be a shame. And Barton I imagine will still be making his presence felt for us this year.

So really, not relegation fodder in my opinion. But I don't expect any advancements on last season's comfortable mediocrity.

Won a lot of games that the old neutral would be surprised at you winning. Lost a lot of games you should be winning if you want to stay up. Of the former, can't see you continuing that regularly next season, more likely it's a one off considering the other matches you lost. The latter, well we shall see but I don't see much having changed in the team so they'd better buck their ideas up when it comes to playing Blackburn etc.

Bev wrote:Being a good sniper is morally on a par with being a good paedophile.

Losing at home to teams like Stoke (ok they had a good season), smashed by Bolton (again ok they did have a good season), Blackpool (hit and miss, but see where they finished up), Blackburn (admittedly under Allerdyce), drawing with Fulham (didn't set the world alight and notoriously poor away from home), drawing with Wolves away and drawing with West Ham at St J's (again, where did they end up and struggled throughout). This isn't even going through all the games, just strong indicators that there's perhaps a problem with motivation against lower teams.

I see your draws with Chelsea, Arsenal, Man U and victory over Arsenal as more unusual. Chelsea yes had a bad season, Arsenal you took on when they were strong so kudos but really I'd suspect it's more likely than not that you'll lose more games next season against the big teams - c.f. 3-0 loss to Dalglish's Liverpool, losses to City and Spurs. You were quite limited in the style of play, not that that's a bad thing, but it didn't seem to be effective against teams who would be more used to the type of play Carroll was most suited to. Ironically, when he left some of the goals scored (I'm thinking mainly of ones involving Collocini) were a lot more "creative".

When it comes down to it, I think you put in some great performances, but so did Blackpool, and it was more through luck than ability that you didn't find yourself where they did. I admit that with the lack of quality in the mid-table/certain teams moving above the others (Bolton, Stoke), you may not find it too difficult next season, with Sunderland and Villa teams that could go either way for me.

I read that Ben Arfa injured himself on Newcastle's US tour? Sounded serious from the way it was written.

I reckon Newcastle might go for Bendtner, they'd have a chance if they can stump up the 10 mill required and he's got a great strike rating considering he's always been a backup in a CL team.

I don't see Newcastle going down. I wouldn't put money on it as tbh I know very little about the promoted teams squads, but for me it'll be Wigan, plus 2 of those, perhaps Norwich and QPR. Only cause I like a Welsh team in the P.

Title winning team right here (though whether they go 442 or 443 is jet to be seen, but either way). Even that other CB spot filled with Lescott or K Toure would still be plenty. Anyone who thinks Man Utd or Chelsea have a better first eleven have got to be kidding themselves.